


Pisces

by Enchantable



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Brother-Sister Relationships, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-04-23 04:17:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19143406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantable/pseuds/Enchantable
Summary: Isobel and Alex: the man, the myth and the bromance.A series of loosely connected prompts about two friends.





	1. Mind Healing

**Author's Note:**

> Original Prompt: Malex prompt, Alex gets hurt in the finale and Max refuses to heal him since his father is responsible for their family’s death. (Alex survives)

“Iz! Please!”

Isobel stares as Max turns away. She aches to go with him. But the sound of Michael’s broken voice makes her stop. Their parents may have been in there. Probably were. They have no way of knowing. But Michael’s mother was in there. He’s staring at her desperately, arms locked around Alex who is completely limp in his arms. Most of his wounds are superficial but he’s unconscious. She gets why Max feels that way. Without Noah her empathy is heightened for everything. And the pain Michael is in is unbelievable. Before she even makes up her mind she’s running back over to them and Michael’s relief almost drowns her.

“He hit his head, he might be—“

“Let me see, okay?” She says. Michael nods frantically, still clutching Alex like a lifeline. Isobel pushes aside her fears and puts a hand on his forehead, probing as gently as she can. She feels the flicker of something infinitely Alex and looks up at Michael, “i found him,” she says, “but I don’t know if I can.”

“Please,” Michael implores, “just try.” 

She closes her eyes and presses into his mind. The emotions overwhelm her and she has to fight not to pull everything in every direction. She focuses instead on bringing up the willpower, fanning the suggestion that he should wake up. What she doesn’t expect is how badly he wants to. How desperately. He’s so focused on that he’s lost in the need instead of where he should be going. She shifts instead from the encouragement to bombarding him with herself. He needs to come her way. She feels him shift and as she slips back, helping him come back to himself. The screaming is in the back of her own head and follows her all the way back to her own body. She falls back, nauseous as hell and disoriented even with Liz there to steady her. It’s Alex whose screaming, clutching at his head and Michael’s got his arms around him, his gaze swinging between the two of them.

“I’m fine,” Isobel chokes out, “he’s fine. It’s just a headache.”

“I called 911,” Liz says and Michael looks like he’s going to cry with relief, “here,” she says, ripping open a nail polish remover wipe, “it’s all I have in my purse.”

Isobel takes it and sucks whatever acetone she can from it. Liz had no way of knowing her scumbag husband was going to be there but she would sell her soul at the moment for actual acetone. Liz looks at them apologetically as Alex goes from screaming to gasping. Clearly still in shock. Michael’s still got him tight in his arms.

“Michael we have to go,” Isobel says around the bile she tastes. Michael’s head flies up, horror on his face, “we can’t risk it.”

“I’m not leaving him!”

“We have to go,” Isobel repeats, swaying to her feet, “come on.”

“I’ll stay with him,” Liz promises and Michael looks at Alex. When he stands up, Alex’s fingers grip onto his sleeve for a moment before Liz grabs his hands, “go.”

Michael grabs Isobel and they get to the car. Knowing they can’t be there without risking time in the hospital, he starts and peels off. Isobel tries not to puke the whole way back and when they get to the driveway she opens the door and puts her head between her legs as Michael races for the acetone. She’s grateful when he comes back and downs most of it. Mildly feeling better she looks up to see him bouncing on his feet like a nervous kid. When she feels Max she shuts him out.

“You know we can’t go yet,” she says.

“But—“

“Come on,” she says, leading him away from the car and inside, “go shower. Clean up and then we can go.”

“Iz—“ he starts.

“If you show up now it’s going to look suspicious as hell,” she says, “Liz will call us. Now go shower. Distract yourself,” he opens his mouth, “don’t make me drag you in there myself.”

Psychic powers pale in comparison to glaring when it comes to Michael. He caves and goes to shower while she finishes the bottle and waits for Liz to call. At some point she takes the flowers she bought herself as a pick me up out of their vase and finds some old brown paper and twine. Michael comes out looking more presentable than when he went in, but still just as worried. As a reward she pushes the flowers to him.

“There. Now we can go straight to the hospital,” she says.

“You think he’s okay?”

“I’m sure he’s fine,” she says quickly, “he might think he’s in heaven when he sees you cleaned up like this and bringing him flowers but yes. I’m sure.”

Michael bounces the whole way there, her flowers clutched in his hand. When she can’t take it anymore she reaches over and grabs it, tightening her fingers in his. As desperate as he is to get to Alex, when he looks away Isobel knows what he’s thinking of.

“He didn’t say why. I shut him out,” she says.

“You what?!” Michael whips towards her, “Iz!”

“Don’t put me in the middle of you two,” she snaps, “in this instance though, he better have a damn good reason.” Michael says nothing and looks out the window as the hospital comes into view. Isobel makes sure the doors as locked so he won’t try to tuck and roll or anything. He bolts the second she undoes them, “don’t trip!” She shouts after him as they make their way into the building that’s always terrified her.

But she does it. Her brother needs her.


	2. Group Therapy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original Prompt: Love your writing! Prompt/ask: Isabel & Alex friendship development post finale -- they'll both be processing a lot & maybe looking for a confidant who gets it. & I'd love to see their types of humor together!

Alex almost backs out.

Sharing his feelings isn’t his strong suit, especially not about this. He chooses a group a few towns over. He doesn’t need one that might get back to his dad. It’s an hour drive but he makes it and sits outside until it’s five minutes to starting. He forces himself to go in. He gets one of the paper cups of bad coffee and finds his seat among the handful of people. Most are women. He picked a coed group for a reason, one that focused on LGBTQ+. Which makes this even more difficult. But in for a penny, in for a pound and so he takes his seat as the person in charge comes in.

“Thank you all for coming,” she says, “being here is the first step so I commend you all. We have some new faces, would anyone like to share?”

They go around and share stories, stories that are familiar to Alex but he doesn’t feel more comforted by them. He feels like he doesn’t want to be here. Attention is slowly shifting to him and he’s prepared to just bolt. But then the door opens and everyone swings towards it. Alex stares too. Apparently his brilliant idea to go a few towns away was brilliant enough to have occurred to someone else. Standing in the doorway looking torn between fleeing and murdering someone is none other than Isobel Evans.

“Is this the abuse support group for LGBTQ+?” She asks.

“Yes,” the group leader says, “join us,” she motions her in.

* * *

 

Isobel crosses the room with quick precise steps. Alex feels like he’s about a foot tall. She doesn’t seem embarrassed or ashamed to be here and he wants the ground to open him up and swallow him whole. A flicker of surprise crosses her face when she looks at him, but she quickly pushes it away and deposits her purse next to her seat. When she clasps her hands together, Alex can see that her ring finger is bare.

“Would you like to share?” The leader offers.

Isobel pauses for a second but then she sets her face and looks directly at the woman.

“My name is Isobel,” she says, “I recently discovered my husband was grooming me since I was a teenager, married me and abused me the entire time,” she continues, “also I’m bisexual.”

He has no idea how she can say it like that.

Apparently neither does anyone else. Then again, Isobel is unique. God knows she was more popular in school than Max or Michael. And since school she’s the most successful every way you look at it. When she sets her mind to something, the world had better watch out. And it seems that she has set her mind to this. When the leader looks at him, Alex does his best to channel her before realizing that’s exactly what he doesn’t want to do. He has to be his own hero in this.

“I’m Alex,” he says, “my father was verbally and physically abusive to me because I was gay.”

The world doesn’t end when he says it aloud. It makes him slightly braver as he continues.

“I was blackmailed into going to war and I’m proud, to have served my country,” he says, “but I lost a lot,” he continues, “and I feel like when I look in the mirror, the only thing I see is him. I don’t know how to be myself.”

When he meets Isobel’s eyes, she gives him the saddest, most encouraging smile he’s ever gotten.

* * *

 

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Isobel says.

“Great minds?” He offers as they get their paper cups of bad coffee during the break, “you got here fast. I couldn’t admit what happened for a long time.”

“Bull in a china shop,” she says with a shrug, “but I have to do this. I can’t be there for Michael while Max is—“ she shrugs.

Something cold slithers down Alex’s spine.

“While Max is what?” He asks.

Isobel’s perfect eyebrows draw together.

“Max is asleep,” she says, stressing the word so he knows she’s not talking about the natural kind, “did Michael not tell you?”

“I haven’t talked to him in weeks,” Alex says.

“What?!” Isobel bursts out. “Whose he spending all his time with?” Alex looks away, “oh.”

“Yeah,” he says.

He can’t be mad. Not after everything he’s put Michael through these past few years. He said that it was over so Michael found someone. Or acted on something that was already there. Alex knows he shouldn’t have left Michael behind. Just as equally, he knows that he did. Now he has to live with the consequences of it. Isobel looks devastated and even in the midst of what he feels, in the midst of trying to share, a part of him wants to shake the answers out of her.

“Let’s go back?”

“Yeah,” he says again.

* * *

 

They arrive separately for weeks.

  
Some days they talk, some days they don’t acknowledge the other past a quick nod. It’s mind blowing to hear Isobel talk though. She reworks everything seamlessly. He always chalked Michael’s hesitance to share up to his past. But Isobel reworks everything so that if he didn’t know the truth he would never have guessed she was lying. His own truth is hard to choke out. Sometimes he thinks he chokes on it when he speaks. But he gets the barbs out. Finally one day he can’t avoid it anymore.

“I hurt someone I love,” he says finally, “I was a coward and they moved on,” he looks down at his coffee, trying to put his words together in a way that makes sense, “which I know is my fault and I don’t blame him. But when I see him I just hear my dad’s voice.”

Afterwards Isobel walks over to him.

“Let’s get coffee,” she says, “real coffee,” she adds.

Alex doesn’t want to but he nods.

“Look, I love both of my brothers,” she says, “but Michael’s a physical person, he always has been,” she continues, “he’s either going to fight or fuck and since Max is asleep, it’s the latter.”

“Talking about this with you is weird,” Alex says.

“Weird’s my speciality,” Isobel says and points at him with her fork, “Michael likes you. More than anyone else. You’re his person. Or he wants you to be.”

“I doubt that,” Alex says.

“Stop being stubborn about this. You are,” she emphasizes, “he and Maria are cute but—“ she shakes her head, “cute just means you’ve got fucked up things no-one can see.”

“I thought your marriage was perfect,” Alex says.

“And I planned a parade in your honor,” Isobel replies, “things are never what they seem,” she sits back, “Michael needs this group,” she says. Alex shakes his head. Michael accepting help will be a cold day in hell, “he needs SAA first.”

“SAA?”

“Sex Addicts Anonymous,” Isobel says, completely straight faced before she grins.

* * *

 

“I resent them for not seeing it,” Isobel says in a careful tone, “I shouldn’t but I do,” she looks down, “it feels like I can’t trust anyone. Like I have to put on an act.”

Murmurs of agreement go up. Isobel runs her thumb across her finger.

“I’m afraid of my ring imprint fading. I’m afraid of looking normal and not being normal.”

Afterwards he waits by her car. She comes out and looks at him. Alex knows that he shouldn’t say anything, that everything should stay in the room but he grasps her hand.

“You’re never going to be normal to me.”

She hugs him so tightly he thinks she might have broken a rib.

* * *

“I need a ride to group,” she says over the phone, “my car’s in the shop. It seems stupid to ride separately anyway.”

“Sure, I can give you a ride,” Alex says, though they both know it’s a good idea for them to come separately. Even though everyone knows they’re acquaintances at this point, “I’ll be by in twenty minutes.”

He gets there and walks up to her door, ringing the bell. He hears her shout and would recognize the timber of the voice through the door anywhere. Instead of pretending to be oblivious, he glares as she opens the door. She motions in him in and he wants to protest actually but she’s an alien and he knows better than to get in her way. Her house is beautiful inside. Naturally Alex thinks the most beautiful thing in there is the one currently fishing in the fridge of a beer.

“I said I’d take you,” Michael says, “I just said I wasn’t going. Besides are you sure the other kooks there should be driving?”

“I don’t know Michael, what does your second beer think about it?” Isobel snaps, “forgive my brother. Though I guess I don’t have to explain that to you.”

Michael’s entire body stiffens and the word ‘kooks’ hangs in the air. He straightens up and looks at Alex who gives the tightest smile he’s given in weeks. Being around Michael is always hard. Always. In a million different ways apparently. Michael really is a miserable liar as his jaw hangs open and he looks between the pair of them like his worst nightmare has come true.

“No,” he says.

“Yes,” Isobel replies.

“Can we go?” Alex asks, “if we’re late—“

“Ugh, you’re right,” Isobel grabs her house keys, “come on.”

Michael stares. For once he and Alex are silent at the same time.

* * *

 

“We’re not avoiding each other,” Alex says. Isobel raises her eyebrows, “we just have nothing to say to each other.”

“Come on Alex, of course you do,” she argues, “you two are in love with each other.”

“He’s dating my friend,” Alex points out.

“From high school,” Isobel says, “and we agreed he’s using her. Not dating her. The fact that it’s gone on for this long is insane.”

Alex has somehow become the driver to group. Isobel’s car is back but he shows up early at her door and she goes. Sometimes Michael is there, sometimes he’s not. They don’t say anything to each other though and even Alex can admit he’s steaming into petty territory. It’s right next to coward-land and borders passive aggressive republic. The mirror hurts and though they are careful to not always be talking about group or therapy or how broken they are, sometimes the car rides can feel more like an extension of it.

“Can you come in?” Isobel asks. Alex looks at her, “I need a second opinion on something.”

“Isobel, just because I’m gay—“ he starts.

“Your jacket costs triple digits,” she snaps and he closes his mouth, “please? It’s black?”

Alex sighs and gets out of the car.

It’s easier.

Isobel leads him through the house. He can hear Michael in the other room with the radio on but he doesn’t want to think what that sound might be masquerading. Isobel leads him into her room and puts him on the chair, vanishing into her wardrobe. Alex almost sags with relief as she closes the doors. He’s gay but he doesn’t really want to know what kind of lingerie Isobel favors. Michael shuffles in a moment later and they acknowledge each other with quick nods. He turns and doesn’t acknowledge the disappointment that comes over Michael’s face. A moment later Isobel comes out in a short black dress that is deceptively modest until she shows that a large swath of her back is visible.

“Looking good, Iz,” Michael says.

“You look great,” Alex echoes.

“Thank you,” she says to him and glares at Michael, “I don’t trust your fashion sense.”

“I look good!” Michael protests.

Isobel looks back at Alex.

“I’m going on a date,” she says.

Alex is surprised at how happy he feels to hear this. Who would have thought he’d actively cheer on Isobel Evans of all people. But here they are. Again her determination shoves her through anything that might stand in her way.  

“That’s great, I’m so happy for you,” he says./

Isobel beams.

“He or she?” Michael asks.

Isobel flushes a pretty rose color.

“She.”

* * *

 

“We should go on a double date if this works out,” Isobel says.

Alex looks away. Michael shifts his weight and tries to look casual.

“Isobel,” he says.

“We should!” She says, “that way you can get into the dating pool and I’ll be there to wingman for you. I am the best wingman.”

Alex thinks he’s making some progress in therapy. He really does. So even though it hurts like hell he finds himself nodding.

“Good,” he says, “I’m going to need the help.”

* * *

 

The date doesn’t work out.

Neither does the next one.

It’s not until they’re at the Crashdown that Alex realizes why.

“Isobel,” he scolds, “you have to talk to her.”

Isobel looks crestfallen. It says a lot about the town that saying Liz’s cousin has decided to stay is just accepted. Or maybe it just says a lot about people in general. But if they’re facing everything then this is on the table. Isobel looks horribly unsure and Alex would let her get away with it, if Rosa didn’t keep looking in their direction like she wants to say something. Best wingman his ass. He signals her and she hesitates only a moment before running over.

“Hi,” Alex says, “you must be the cousin I’ve heard so much about. I’m Alex. This is Isobel.”

“Hi,” Isobel says. Rosa’s lips flicker.

“Hi,” she says.

“Isobel is the town event planner,” he says when they fall silent and just stare at each other, “she knows everywhere so if you need someone to show you around—“

“Liz is on it, I’m sure,” Isobel says, not taking her eyes off Rosa.

“Liz was gone for ten years,” Alex says, “I’m sure she doesn’t know all the spots you do.” Isobel’s foot collides with his prosthetic and she swears like that’s his fault, “she gives a great tour.”

“I’d love that,” Rosa says before Isobel can kill him.

“You would?” Isobel repeats. Rosa nods, already scribbling something, “here’s my number.”

“G-got it,” Isobel says taking the piece of paper before putting on her best smile. She types it into her phone and sends a text, “now you’ve got mine.”

“We’ll hook up sometime,” Rosa says.

“I’d like that.”

Alex has a feeling that this date will work out.

* * *

 

Thankfully Isobel doesn’t try to push him to date. Not like she threatened. Rosa doesn’t have any friends. And Isobel mysteriously drops the issue in a way Alex would harp on about but other things come up. Things like his dad. And Project Shepherd and deciding what to do with his life. He misses one group meeting and is late to the next. Even though he knows that the late arrival attention will make him probably be in the hot seat. He still goes because he needs to. He comes in as quietly as he can but no-one pays him any mind.

“We have a new member,” Dr. Delfino says, “would you like to introduce yourself?”

Michael forces his hands from twisting around his hat, clears his throat and looks at Dr. Delfino. At the last moment, when he reaches out Isobel grabs his hand and locks their fingers together. Whether that grounds him or physically keeps him from leaving, Alex isn’t sure. But he works his jaw with all the Michael Guerin stubbornness he knows.

“I’m Michael,” he says.

It’s a start.


	3. UFO Emporium

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original Prompt: Malex Prompt: Isobel tries to get into Alex’s head to make him leave but she can’t do it because he loves Michael too much (basically Isobel and Liz in episode 3.) and Michael finding out about it. Btw... Loooooooooove your writing 😍😍😍

Alex Manes needs to go.

Isobel arrives at the decision when she stumbles upon a date her brother is on. It’s nice and all. Cute, kind of. Hey if it makes Michael happy, who is she to judge? She married and loved someone who was an alien and didn’t even know about it. Anyways she watches as Michael glances out the window with that puppy dog expression. Until it falls away, replaced by a look she’s seen far too often the past decade. She thought it was guilt but knows that it’s not. Not entirely. Everything is supposed to be better now or as good as it can be with Max still out of commission. But Michael’s pain makes something in her chest twist. She follows his line of sight and sees Alex getting out of his car. Isobel would say that Michael is pining but there’s nothing longing about the look. There’s just pain. Isobel is a card carrying member of #TeamMichael and anyone who puts that look on her brother’s face needs to get out of town.

So Alex needs to go.

Isobel tracks him to the UFO emporium. She likes the idea of testing out her new control in that place. And hey if Alex is feeling all nostalgic, she can turn that on him. Michael said Alex was tied to pain. All she needs to do is bring up that natural human instinct to want to escape it. Easy. She buys a ticket and goes inside. The place has never been her favorite. It’s every alien cliche the town thrives on. She’s always mocked it as ridiculous, never allowed herself to feel any of the hurt of seeing this terrible thing put on display. She doesn’t give into that now, it doesn’t matter anyway. This happened years and years ago. She needs to save Michael. Now.

She follows Alex into a room that’s been converted into an autopsy room. The change affects Alex instantaneously. She doesn’t need to be in his head to see how his entire posture changes. He walks around the room in careful steps, but she knows that it’s not this room he’s seeing. He stops at a corner of it and hangs his head, not even bothering to look like he’s unaffected. This is the perfect opportunity. His defenses are down. So she focuses on him and slips silently into his thoughts. It’s embarrassingly easy, but then again the people who think they’re well guarded are usually the weakest. Through the bond she establishes, she first sorts through what he’s feeling and what she can use.

_It hurts._

_It hurts and it’s his fault._  Good, they agree on that.

_It hurts, it’s his fault and Michael deserves to be happy._ Again, she agrees and is pleased.

_It hurts and it’s his fault and Michael deserves to be happy and if he wasn’t such a coward it wouldn’t have to be like this._  Okay she doesn’t agree with that. There’s nothing cowardly about Alex. Not that she can see anyway.

_He’s a coward and he’s weak. He could have stayed here and been happy instead of running off to be strong and losing everything. He deserves this. What kind of warrior fights for something as selfish as his own happiness._ Well now she really really doesn’t agree with him.

_It’s good they changed the room. The fewer memories for Michael the better. He can move on and be happy._

Isobel pushes aside the empathy and reaches for the thought of wanting to be happy. But the thought of wanting to be happy is focused on literally everyone but himself. Everyone deserves to be happy but him. He derails her plans because she can manipulate but there is absolutely no desire in him for his own happiness. She seeks out any train of thought that maybe it would be better for them if he left, but there’s none of that. No desire to run from the pain, no desire to heal. Alex just wants to protect people and make sure they’re happy. In the deepest, most unchanging part of himself, his life is an acceptable trade.

Isobel’s breath catches at the acceptance of his low self worth.

That’s not gonna fly.

It bugged her how quietly Alex slipped away. But then again anyone with eyes or ears was constantly subjected to Michael being with Maria. Everyone knew. Michael was like a puppy and Maria, well, everyone saw her smiling. They weren’t subtle. But it seems like Alex feeling like he deserved this played an equal part. His mind might be unguarded but the man has a good poker face. She’ll give him that. As she’s sorting through the things she could use to get him to want to leave, she decides to just double check before she pushes him to it.

Michael beats through him like a pulse.

Isobel immediately retreats. Sorting through his emotions is one thing but this, this is something she refuses to spy on. Alex doesn’t have a right to privacy but she promised Michael he did. She won’t break that promise. Amidst all the self loathing and pain and the strength and protectiveness, Alex loves Michael. It’s the fuel powering the engine. It wouldn’t been enough to stop her, except she only promised Michael she wouldn’t go in his head after she had done so. She recognizes the way his mind is arranged. She knows it. Because she’s seen it before. Alex is done running and Michael is done waiting and maybe if they say it enough they’ll both convince themselves of the fact.

She doesn’t bother with the suggestion of leaving. She toys with the idea of implanting the suggestion that maybe he shouldn’t be so hard on himself but decides against that too. She slips out of his head and moves into the room. He snaps back to himself with that expression people always have after she’s in their heads, but if Alex has realized what’s going on he says nothing. He looks at her carefully and she smiles.

“Is this your first time back?” She inquires.

“I figured it was time to see what they did with the place,” Alex says.

“You must remember what it was like before,” she says.

“Barely,” he replies, “they moved some walls around.”

  
“No they didn’t,” she says, “I put on the re-opening,” she reminds him, “I know what they changed.”

If he’s embarrassed at being caught in the lie he doesn’t show it. He gives her a smile that’s just predator enough she can respect it. Isobel decides to go with it. 

“What was this?” She asks.

“I thought you knew what they changed,” he shoots back.

“On the surface,” she says, “I hate this place, obviously,” she adds, “I was never a masochist like Michael, trying to find home in this place.”

Alex looks away. Michael always said that and she had always assumed he was talking about the junk. Not about a person. She might be on #Team Michael, but a part of her wonders what the hell he’s doing on the detour he seems to be on. If he realizes how much of an idiot he’s being.

“I guess it was a bust,” Alex says.

“I guess,” Isobel says.

“They had the flying saucers here,” Alex says, “and the wall of lights, it was supposed to be stars,” he tells her, shaking his head, “and the alien bodypart,” he looks at the autopsy table.

“Ew to the alien body parts,” Isobel says, “and all those cheesy green men,” Alex shrugs, “but the stars,” she says, “are still back there.”

“Huh?” Alex looks surprised and maybe his poker face isn’t that great.

“Probably the only thing about this place I liked,” she says, “and someone pitched a fit at the prospect of them being thrown out,” she adds. Alex shuts down but Isobel ignores it, “the flying saucers are in the theater. Along with more of the stars.”

She definitely has gone over a line and almost feels bad at the wild hope in Alex’s eyes. Which, again, is familiar considering Michael had the same damn expression and demanded to know that the stars in this room were going to be the same. No matter what they did with the rest of it. Alex attempts to look nonchalant as he makes his way to the fake wall and peers around it, but even with just the slightest brush in his head Isobel feels more calm from him than she has their entire conversation. His entire body relaxes. Relief, he’s relieved.

_It’s still here._

Isobel fights the urge to smile and glances at her watch.

“Well I’ve reached my limit of little green man stuff for the day,” she says, “I’ll see you around.”

Alex nods and doesn’t take his eyes off the stars.

Isobel leaves him to his nostalgia and pushes the bright taste of hope out of her head. Obviously she doesn’t mean to bang  her funny bone into the sign and send out the distress call, things are just so different. Really its proximity. But it’s a distress call and not five minutes later, who should come running in but Michael, looking panicked. She rolls her eyes at her own clumsiness.

“Sorry, I hit my funny bone,” she says.

“Iz—“ he starts.

“But while you’re here, I think they’re having some trouble with the star wall in the autopsy room,” she tells him, “maybe you could go check it out?”


	4. Friendship is Fun!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Original Prompt: More Alex/Isabel friendship please!

The last person Alex is expecting to see on the other side of his door is Isobel.

The woman has murder in her eyes. Alex never met a fight he didn’t want to finish, but even before he knew Michael’s siblings had superpowers they were not people he wanted to tangle with. It said volumes about his character that Michael kept his silence. That this is the first time one of them has sought him out. The anger on her face can only mean this has to do with Michael and not with any of the other dozen reasons she could be there.

“Where’s your information on Caulfield?” She demands. He closes his mouth, “this is about Michael.”

“What about Michael?” He asks, worry beginning to churn at him. Is that why he stood him up? “Is something wrong?”

“No, he watched his mother die and is completely fine,” she says. Alex scowls, “I need the information.”

Alex nods and gets the folder he’s put together. It’s not the kind of thing you leave around or mail and with everyone being MIA, Alex hasn’t been sure how to give it to him. It’s in a sealed envelope. It’s the kind of thing that’s so deeply personal he can’t imagine a messenger seeing it before Michael does. Even Kyle refused to look and Alex feels almost dirty that he’s seen it before Michael. He hands the envelope to Isobel who frowns at the seal. He closes his fingers over it before she can open it.

“He should see it first,” Alex says.

Isobel looks at him hard and the nods, pausing only at the door.

“Was there anything about our parents?” She asks abruptly.

“I haven’t found anything yet,” Alex says, “if I do I’ll let you know,” Isobel ducks her head and slips out.

* * *

 

“Is there anything in there about power leeching?”

Alex almost drops the jar of peanut butter he’s holding. Isobel is roughly the same height but the stilettos she wears elevate her a good four inches above him. Her clothes have taken on a far more dramatic edge of late and he can recognize the coping mechanism. Though if someone asked what kind of person went grocery shopping in four inch stilettos ‘just because’, her name would always be at the top of his list.

“Not here,” he says.

“What are they doing? Hiding microphones in the Skippy?” She demands wiggling the jar.

Alex appreciates her need for autonomy and experiencing the recklessness that she’s been denied her entire life, but the sad truth is that yes. There could be microphones in the peanut butter, given that it’s him buying it and he just blew up a top secret prison. Also his father is in a coma.

“Actually that’s more of a Justine’s Nut Butter operation,” he says.

Isobel’s eyes narrow but she puts the jar back and doesn’t move.

“No,” He says finally, “come over later and we can talk about this.”

“Fine,” Isobel says, “what pizza toppings do you like?”

Alex watches as she waits in the regular line in front of him, holding a single frozen pizza which she pays for with her credit card before waiting for him and accompanying him into the parking lot.

“Where’s your car?”

“I walked here,” she says. His eyes widen and he glances down at her shoes, “I can walk in these,” she snaps, “God. Men.” He scowls but unlocks the doors. Sitting in his car she folds her arms, “I was breaking these in,” she says quietly, “I threw everything out.”

“You look good.”

* * *

 

“I need you to teach me how to fight.”

Alex chokes on the beer. Isobel has been following the ‘we don’t talk about aliens in public’ rule. But this definitely catches him off guard. He turns and looks at her as she stands there. Today she’s not in stilettos, she’s in workout gear. It’s nine o’clock though, if she’s expecting to start now he’s gotta put down his beer.

“What?” He says, “me?”

“You’re a soldier,” she says, “and Liz may have let it slip that you taught her how to throw a punch like that.”

Alex knows the issue she’s dancing around. He knew how to throw a punch way before he joined the military. Remembering that makes some of his old scars hurt. Especially the ones in his hands that he got prior to knowing how to throw a punch. Isobel keeps looking at him steadily and Alex can think of a million reasons to say no.

“Okay,” he says.

“Great let’s go,” she says.

“First thing, we don’t fight after drinking,” he says. Isobel glances over to Michael, “do you want to learn how to defend yourself or start bar fights?” He asks.

“Defend myself,” she says.

“So sit and have a beer, we can start tomorrow,” he says.

“I don’t like beer,” she says.

“Are you sure?” He asks

Isobel frowns and thinks about it. Then she sits down and when Maria looks over she points at Alex’s beer. Isobel brings her one and she takes a sip before making a completely disgusted face.

“No, I don’t like beer,” she confirms and orders a scotch instead.


End file.
